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Literary Devices
Definition of Allusion
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to other literary works, famous individuals, historical events, or philosophical ideas... read full definition
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to other literary works, famous individuals... read full definition
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to... read full definition
Allusions
Explanation and Analysis—Devilish Ways:
At the end of the story, Mrs. Jones generously gives Roger ten dollars for the blue suede shoes that he told her he longs to buy as an explanation for why he tried to steal her purse. When she explains the conditions upon which she is giving him this money, she alludes to Christianity, as seen in the following passage:
When they were finished eating, she got up and said, “Now here, take this ten dollars and buy yourself some blue suede shoes. And next time, do not make the mistake of latching onto my pocketbook nor nobody else’s—because shoes got by devilish ways will burn your feet. I got to get my rest now. But from here on in, son, I hope you will behave yourself.”
When Mrs. Jones notes that “shoes got by devilish ways will burn your feet” she is alluding to Christian beliefs related to theft and deceit. For example, Proverbs 21:6 states, “A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.” Mrs. Jones does not literally believe that shoes purchased with stolen money would burn Roger’s feet, but she says so in order to deter him from getting himself into trouble or causing other people suffering. Mrs. Jones’s granting of compassion to Roger throughout the story can also be interpreted as an extension of her Christian faith, specifically in Christianity’s commitment to forgiveness and grace.
Related Themes:
